1. Field of the Invention
The invention is drawn to an apparatus and method for controlling feeding by animals, particularly preventing daytime feeding animals from feeding from a device intended for treating and feeding animals such as deer that will also feed at night.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many diseases are transmissible to man and animals by ectoparasites such as ticks. Because some wildlife species, such as white tailed deer, are capable of propagating and harboring large populations of these ectoparasites, an effective strategy for the prevention of disease transmission should include treatment of animals, including wildlife, for the control of ectoparasites. Yet, the treatment of significant numbers of animals, especially wildlife that are not easily captured or otherwise able to be handled and treated directly, for control of these ectoparasites remains a difficult problem.
In areas where an effort is being made to eradicate ticks, the inability to control ticks on wildlife can be a critical factor to the success of the program. For example, disease carrying cattle ticks were eradicated from the United States in the 1940's, and a quarantine zone was established along the Texas Mexico border between Del Rio and Brownsville, Tex., to prevent reinfestation of U.S. cattle herds. Yearly outbreaks of ticks that occur in the quarantine zone are controlled by dipping of cattle and by vacating infested pastures. However, increased populations of white tailed deer, elk, exotic deer, antelope and other marginal host animals in the region is complicating the eradication effort, and in some areas has prevented eradication or reinfested premises with the ticks. For other ectoparasites such as deer ticks, which are the vectors of Lyme disease, wildlife, and white tailed deer in particular, are the primary hosts for adult tick. The ability to control these ticks on deer would therefore be a valuable tool in the management of Lyme disease.
Pound et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,367,983) previously described an apparatus and method for feeding and applying a pesticide to animals, particularly antlered animals such as deer. That apparatus, commonly referred to as the “4-poster” includes an open top receptacle having a bottom and side walls, and a feed supply bin positioned within the receptacle having an opening at its lower end communicating with the bottom of the receptacle. Animal feed, typically corn, within the bin is dispensed to the bottom of the receptacle through the opening to a feeding area which is bound by the lower end of the bin and the bottom and side walls of the receptacle. At least one pair of spaced apart vertical support members are positioned adjacent the side walls of the receptacle, approximately opposite or across from the opening of the feed supply bin, and extend upwardly from the receptacle above the upper edge of the side walls. For application of pesticide upon the feeding animals, a pesticide applicator is positioned on each support member, which is adapted or constructed to apply pesticide onto the animal upon contact therewith (i.e., rubbing). The support members are spaced sufficiently close together to prevent an animal from passing its head therebetween and accessing the feeding area. To feed, the animal must therefore access the device from the side and pass its head between one pesticide applicator and an outwardly extending horizontal surface that extends partly over the opening to the feeding area. Being positioned at least partially over the feeding area, the outwardly extending surface effectively forces the animal to turn its head sideways in order to access the feeding area, and hence contact the applicator on the side of its head and neck and on its ears.
The “4-poster” device of Pound et al. has been successfully used in a variety of environments and regions throughout the United States for controlling ticks on deer. However, the device does not prevent squirrels, birds, and other diurnal feeders from consuming the feed. Thus, there remains a need for an improved device for treating nocturnal feeding animals, including deer.